


Meet Me In The Aftermath

by Sorin



Series: I Will Be Your Hope [8]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Feels, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-13 01:17:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4502226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorin/pseuds/Sorin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“That’s the hero I know.  Seek solace where it is offered… and remember, I will always be by your side.” (SPOILERS from The Vault to the end of the MSQ!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meet Me In The Aftermath

It is a still day, which is somewhat uncommon in Coerthas.Back in Foundation there’s a ceremony to be followed by a giant celebration, but I hadn’t felt much like celebrating… and so instead of retreating to high ground, I chose to retreat elsewhere.I have to admire the choice of where he was laid to rest- it gives a perfect view of the city, and is isolated enough that I don’t worry about people disturbing him.

I slowly take his shield off of my back and place it against the tombstone, then kneel in the snow.It is cold, but I hardly notice- it doesn’t bother me anymore.I wonder, distantly, if that should worry me, but I am beyond worrying about most trivial things by now.I have enough on my mind as it is without adding petty complaints.I haven’t seen him again since the dream I had the night he died, and though I do believe he’s still with me- I’m not sure I could have defeated Thordan and the Heaven’s Ward otherwise- I miss him with a fierceness that boarders on obsession.

I hear footsteps in the snow behind me and turn to see Alphinaud and Tataru.They both look a little worried, but when I smile at them, they smile back and the worry disappears.It’s best they don’t know how badly this has impacted me, I think.Nobody does but Aymeric, and I haven’t spoken with him about it since that night.He, too, has enough on his plate without having someone else’s grief to trouble him.His father betrayed him- betrayed all of Ishgard- and that’s a hard thing to swallow alone, but accompanied by the loss of two dear friends, Haurchefant and Estinien, I have kept my distance.Perhaps, I think absently, I will talk to him after the celebrating is over… because while I’m reluctant to add to his problems, I’m willing to listen to him.

Eventually, Alphinaud and Tataru leave me alone and head back to the city, for which I am grateful.I appreciate their presence and their concern, but I want to burden them even less than Aymeric.Perhaps it is that Aymeric and I are close in age, and perhaps I’m doing them a disservice, but Tataru is so wonderfully innocent- and Alphinaud, though chomping at the bit to prove himself and having learned much along the way, is still a child.He has years ahead of him to experience what it’s like to fall in love, and I pray to all the Twelve that he never, ever finds out what it’s like to lose it.

I stay still until the sky starts to darken, and though I don’t want to leave, I know I have to.Before I can, however, I feel something warm draped around my shoulders- but when I look back over my shoulder, nobody is there… and there’s nothing on me save my own cloak, yet I feel as warm as I would if I were inside by a fire.I close my eyes tight and bow my head, and when I sense a presence to my left, I don’t move an inch- I’m afraid if I do, he’ll disappear.

“As lovely as you are, I don’t think turning yourself into an ice sculpture will add much,” he says, his voice kind and gentle.

I can’t help but smile a little.I know that it’s foolish of me to stay out here at all hours, but when I’m here, I feel closer to him than I do anywhere else.I’m not really trying to freeze myself, it’s just that I lose track of time when I’m here… it is, strangely enough, the place whereI feel the most comfortable.

“You’ve made it so much farther than anyone in Ishgard thought you would… except for me, of course.”He chuckles lightly and I dare to glance over, but there’s nobody there- at least nobody that I can see.“It’s too bad I can’t tell them all ‘I told you so’, but that’s all right.My father will on my behalf, I’m sure.”

That reminds me of the count telling me what Haurchefant had said when he’d first petitioned for my asylum from House Fortemps, and I bow my head again.What good is it, I think bitterly, to be ‘the light of hope’ when I can’t save the people who mean the most to me?

The warmth around me increases, and when he speaks again, his voice is right in my ear.“Dear one, you’re thinking too much,” he says softly.“If I am to be gone, I find it best to be so because I was by your side, and by my actions, you are still alive.I am grateful that I had the chance to protect you.As for the others… you do not know for certain if they’re dead- it could even be possible to save Estinien.If there’s a way, I have the utmost faith that you will find it.You are only one person, my love… and you carry the weight of the entire world on your shoulders.Let the friends you have help you.”

I shake my head, jaw clenched and eyes squeezed shut tight against the burning sting of tears.If I let anyone closer I risk breaking, and I can’t do that, not when everyone counts on me.“I can’t,” I manage, the words coming out thick and choked.“I can’t-!”

“You can.I know you can.”He seems to hear the intent behind my words far better than I could give voice to them, especially in that moment.“I know it’s asking a lot, and the Twelve know you’ve certainly earned the right to disappear for a little while, but- be strong… and keep moving forward.There are people who see the person behind the Warrior of Light.”

That’s what hurts the most, I think- the only one I thought truly saw _me_ was _him._ I shake my head again, but not as vehemently as before, because as I think about it, I realize he’s right.Alphinaud and Tataru do… or would, if I let them close enough.I had already been considering going to speak with Aymeric, and though he doesn’t know me well, he, too, could if I allowed it.I exhale and nod slightly.

“There,” he says, his voice warm.“That’s the hero I know.Seek solace where it is offered… and remember, I will always be by your side.”

The warmth remains long after his voice fades away, and I slowly stand and look down at the grave again before closing my eyes and reaching for the aether, teleporting back to Foundation.As I’d expected, there’s a large party going on- or maybe many parties, it’s hard to tell.I can’t help but smile at the lights strung everywhere and all the people talking and laughing, and it’s easy for me to slip through undetected, especially with my hood up.

When I ask after Aymeric, I’m told he’s talking with the other leaders of Eorzea, and I decide to keep my distance for awhile… and instead, head to the place he’d found me the day Haurchefant had died.It’s quiet there, and it gives me a good view of the city and the celebrations going on, and I lean against the stone railing and smile a little.Much good has come from all I’ve suffered, I think, and though it’s hard to do so, I’m starting to believe that it may have been worth it in the end.I don’t think anything in the world can ever be worth the life of the man I loved, but I have to see the good in things- otherwise, I really will break.

It’s a few hours later when I hear footsteps behind me, and I smile a little and turn to see Aymeric walking towards me.He still walks with a slight limp, and likely will for quite awhile.It’s a good thing he’s not required to be on the front lines.

“I thought I’d find you here,” he said, his voice warm.“This seems to be your favorite place in all of Foundation.”

I nod and look back toward the city, then look back at him.Tonight, especially, I like the view- I like to see people celebrating instead of mourning.

He stands next to me again, just as he had that night, and looks out over the city with a smile.“This is certainly not how I saw my life going,” he muses, “but… seeing the people so happy makes it seem more worth it.”He glances at me, and his smile turns wry.“I’m sure I can admit to you, without it becoming common knowledge, that I am absolutely _terrified._ ”

He would be a fool not to be, I think, and I nod in understanding.Personally, I can’t imagine having to rule an entire country- I certainly wouldn’t want to even try.He does have experience leading to rely on, though, and he nods when I point that fact out.

“Yes,” he agrees, “but… it’s not quite the same.”He looks back out over the city and sighs.“Leading the military is one thing, leading the entirety of Ishgard quite another.I am lucky to have Lucia to help me stumble through this.With luck, the people will find someone fit to rule and I’ll be able to step back into my old role.”

I can’t help but laugh softly at that.“And what if that person is you?” I reply.

He makes a face.“Then I’ll consider joining the Scions and disappearing,” he replies, and we both laugh.His laughter fades, though, and he shakes his head.“Honestly, I don’t know.In a perfect world, I wouldn’t have to consider it.I will accept, of course, and lead my people to the best of my ability… and pray that my ability is good enough.Despite his flaws and the lies the Holy See perpetuated, I believe my father was a good leader… at least until those last few weeks.”

The Ascians.My expression darkens and I brace my hands on the stone railing.If not for them, so many people would still be alive- Haurchefant included.I had killed the man responsible for taking his life, yes, but that man wouldn’t have acted as he did had Thordan not gotten tangled up in an attempt to wrest power from them… and would he have done as he did without them whispering in his ear?He isn’t alive anymore to tell us… and anxiety spikes in my chest when I think of his dying words. _Who- what- are you?!_ I don’t know what he meant.

He turns his gaze back out over the city for a moment, then looks at me with a brief smile.“Where will you go, now that your goal is accomplished?”

I blink.It’s true that our ultimate goal was to see Ishgard reinstated into the alliance, but… I feel more attached to this place than I’d thought I would, and I don’t necessarily want to hurry away.Still, I have to save my friends, Estinien included- and there are always more primals to be dealt with.I sigh faintly and shrug.I don’t know where my next destination will take me, and being here, in my beloved’s homeland, feels more like home than anything else ever has.I look at Aymeric, who is studying me in return, and I wonder what he’s thinking.

“Stay awhile, if it suits you,” he finally offers.“I could always use your help, and not only on the battlefield.You are a friend, and I have precious few of those.”

Haurchefant’s words come back to me, then- _seek solace where it is offered_ \- and I only hesitate a second before nodding.Staying sounds good to me, at least for the moment.We have work to do in rebuilding the Scions, and if this is to be our new headquarters, it’s best we start now.

Aymeric smiles, and the night sky seems a little brighter.“Good,” he says warmly, then holds his hand out.“Come!Let’s join the celebration.”He looks up at the sky, then at me again.“I’m sure he’s happy, so… we should be as well.”

I nod.It may be a long time until I’m happy again, but I can at least start here and work my way forward.We walk back down into the main part of the city and I catch sight of Alphinaud and Tataru.I wave at them, and they wave back and run to join us- and, for a little while, I forget my sorrows.

I look up at the sky and smile.It’s better this way, I think.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I keep hitting myself in the feels with these ._. Oy. In any case, I wanted to kind of leave this open ended so I can continue writing as the story progresses:) I hope you enjoyed it!


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